Worthy Brief - 9/4/2025
Friend, Elul -- the bridal summons!
Revelation 19:7-8 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
If Elul begins with intimacy, it culminates in readiness. The sound of the shofar throughout this month is not just a wake-up call — it is a bridal summons. It is the voice of the Bridegroom calling His Bride to prepare for the wedding feast of the Lamb. John’s vision in Revelation declares: “Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7).
Notice this: the Bride made herself ready. Readiness is not accidental; it is not passive. It is a choice, a posture, a preparation. Elul is the season appointed for that work. Just as Israel washed and consecrated themselves before meeting God at Sinai, and just as Esther bathed, anointed, and prepared before meeting the king, so we are called to purify and prepare ourselves for our Bridegroom. Paul reminds us that Yeshua (Jesus) will present His Bride to Himself “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27).
How then do we make ourselves ready? We repent — allowing the Spirit to wash away the stains of compromise and sin. We devote ourselves afresh — trimming our wicks, filling our lamps with oil, like the wise virgins who watched through the night for the bridegroom’s arrival (Matthew 25:1–13). We set ourselves apart in holiness — refusing to be conformed to the world, but transformed by His Spirit until His likeness shines in us.
Beloved, Elul is the month of decision. The King is not only in the field, He is standing at the altar, preparing to receive His Bride. Will you be found ready? Or will you be caught distracted, spotted, wrinkled, unprepared? Now is the time to awaken. Now is the time to cast aside every weight, every distraction, every love that rivals Him. The shofar is sounding over your life: The Bridegroom is coming.
Friend, do not delay your preparation. Do not think there will be a better time. The hour is now. The door of mercy is open. The voice of the Beloved is calling. Lay aside every stain, every wrinkle, and let His Spirit make you radiant. Be awake. Be ready. Be holy. For the Bridegroom is at the door.
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna and Obadiah
George & Baht Rivka (Spartanburg, SC), Obi (Baltimore, Maryland), Elianna (Married living in Missouri)
Editor's Note: This devotional is part of an ongoing Elul series. If you’ve just joined us, or happened to miss some earlier entries, I encourage you to start with the first one from August 25th. Each devotional builds on the last as we journey together through the month of Elul, preparing our hearts for the Fall Feasts — beginning with Yom Teruah (the Feast of Trumpets) and culminating in the Feast of Tabernacles.
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